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Carramua
The Carramua is a great crow that lives in the plains of Eduria and in the deserts of Leukhos. This bird is known as the "king of crows" due to its size. Its name is derived from the Medar word karamua, meaning "soul bringer". Physical Description Carramua birds are as large as an eagle. They share all the same characteristics of their smaller counterparts, but have a distinctive golden marking on their bills. The feathers around the face of a carramua also puff out in a frill, but usually lie back against the face. The carramua also has gold-tipped wing feathers and a gold-tipped tail that fans out when they fly. Their legs have golden bands. It is often easy to spot a carramua from afar due to these golden hints on their bodies. Behaviour Carramua are always seen striding awkwardly in meadows, seeking their favourite food (mice) to pull out. However, they are also scavengers and will pick a carcass clean''.'' A group of carramua is collectively known as a merda. They are often solitary birds, but will come together if a great feast presents itself. Because of the carramua's size, when it comes to carcasses they only seek out the biggest. This can range from the yakkes that live on the plains to the great wolves of the mountains. On the occasion that an elderly dragon travelling to die in the mountains fails to reach its journey, carramua are sure to be the first at the dinner table. Carramua are highly intelligent creatures. They are not magical in any way, but they have a rudimentary understanding of tools and seem to be able to learn tricks quickly, including strategies on stealing a carcass from other scavengers. They are often seen squabbling between themselves over their food, but otherwise live peacefully with each other. Carramua mate for life. Communication Like all crows, carramua have the same cawing call. However, carramua have a slightly more varied range of calls in their arsenal. It is known that during the mating season, male carramua use a trilling caw that can often be heard for miles to attract females. When alarmed, carramua make a short, sharp call that rises sharply in pitch around the end. It is also observed that when there is a large carcass, carramua call out to others using the same call, except that the pitch drops at the end. Ecology Range and Population Symbolism Because of it regular appearance around corpses and its observed intelligence, carramua are believed to bring the souls of the dead to the afterlife (hence their name). The nomadic tribes of Leukhos, who often practise natural burials, treated the carramua as a sort of demigod that served the higher spirits. It was said that the golden markings on their bills were a sign of being "chosen" by the spirits. Carramua feathers and bills are highly prized because of these golden markings, but it is illegal to hunt them or have any body part of the bird in possession. Because of this, they are highly prized by SCION as pets and body parts sold on the black market. It is to note that carramua live a greatly shortened lifespan when in captivity, and usually the Leukhos nomads and the peoples of Rinmoria are furious with the black market trade in carramua pets. Notes *Nar'akhrim necromancer A'idhul Rahman wears a mask painted and shaped in the traditional carramua head sans lower bill. This ties in with his necromancer abilities - as a necromancer, he has the ability to channel the dead, as the carramua are believed to. He just brings the dead to life, temporarily, while the carramua are said to bring the dead to the afterlife. Category:Bestiary Category:Lore